16 October - 31 October 2000 15 OCTOBER 2000 Cafu Threatens To Quit Roma Cafu made the following comments after he was subjected to racist abuse following Roma's Italian Cup defeat by Atalanta. "I do not want to think of what could have happened if one of the windows on my car had been broken by the violence of the fans. I had my children with me (in the car), there could have been a tragedy. I hope I will not find myself in front of one of those people who boo black players. I do not know what might happen." Zidane Ban Reduced UEFA has cut the Champions League ban on media darling Zinedine Zidane because "although the challenge had endangered Emerson's safety, no physical contact had been made.". How convenient. Had another player made such a violent challenge would they escape with a one match ban? 13 OCTOBER 2000 Biscan Saga Over Igor Biscan has ended months of speculation by signing for Liverpool for around £7 million. The Dinamo Zagreb midfielder will join the Reds in December. 11 OCTOBER 2000 Maresca Joins Bologna Bologna are expected to complete the signing of Juventus midfielder Enzo Maresca later today. Juve signed Maresca from West Brom last season but he was never given an opportunity to establish himself in the first team. Zaccheroni Will Quit At End of Season After praising his players for their performances against Romania, Alberto Zaccheroni has stated that he will quit as coach of Milan at the end of the season. "Very few teams can say that they have provided all the Azzurri's midfield and, with five players in the squad." "It's a source of great pride for the club. I'm very happy for Coco. It's great reward for what he's done with Milan. The left side of the team looked very balanced with Maldini and Coco." "It's a good Milan, which is why it's a pity that from next season I will not be the coach of this Milan side." . Having already signed a glut of young Italian players over the past two seasons Milan are again looking at domestic talent. Midfielder Massimo Donati will join next season for £10 million from Atalanta. The club are also linked with midfielders Ighli Vannucchi from Salernitana and Marco Marchionni from Empoli. 10 OCTOBER 2000 Lippi Flattered Recently sacked Inter coach Marcello Lippi has hinted of his interest in the vacant England managers job - "I have spoken to friends in England and I hear my name mentioned in connection with the England job. It is very gratifying to be in the frame for such a prestigious position.". Totti Hints At Milan Francesco Totti has again hinted at leaving Roma for Milan - "I want to stay at Roma but there is a limit to even my patience. If I understand that there is no intention to resolve the matter (new contract) then I will start looking around. The San Siro is a lovely stage, but my stadium is the Olympic Stadium.". Jacquet Not Interested In England Job Former French national team coach Aime Jacquet is the latest candidate to rule himself out of the job of England coach "I have no intention of returning to the playing field in high level soccer in England or elsewhere.". With Peter Taylor and Bryan Robson (mercifully) also ruling themselves out the current candidates are Bobby Robson, Arsene Wenger, Jean Tigana and Peter Reid. Newcastle has stated that they will not let Robson leave and his age will count against him. Wenger cannot obviously pick any Frenchman so he doesn't seem likely to take the job! Fulham will not want to loose another coach to England (Keegan left Fulham) especially as they have made a 100% start to their first division campaign with 9 wins in 9 games leaving Peter Reid as favourite in my opinion. Marcello Lippi may also be considered. FRANCE ROUND-UP by Paul Bailey The Revolving Door of French Coaching Alain Giresse left his position as head-coach of Toulouse FC earlier this week (oct.3), to be replaced by just-fired Robert Nouzaret of Saint-Etienne. Robert Nouzaret's position has been filled by Welshman John Toshack, who signed a 10-month contract with the club. Saint-Etienne previously had tried to get Oswaldo Piazza from Independiente Buenos Aires, but the Argentine coach couldn't get out of his contract with the club. Sedan Open New Stadium CS Sedan-Ardennes marked the inauguration of their new stadium, the Louis-Dugauguez, on sunday to a unanimous vote from city officials. The first match to be played at the 24,000 seat, 140 million franc building is the postponed match from Round 6 against Rennes. It was also announced that club president Michel Berard is going to leave the club in june of 2001. Paul Bailey 7 OCTOBER 2000 Keegan Quits As England Coach "Some of the crowd had some things to say and when it comes to decisions like this then that is where the power should be. I just told the players that I felt I could just not provide that little bit extra which is needed at this level. I told them I gave it my best shot." INTER NEWS by Paul Mettewie Tardelli New Inter Coach Marco Tardelli, the manager of the Italy's Euro champion under-21 side, is to be the new manager of FC Internazionale di Milano. Tardelli, 46, will be officially introduced to the press this coming Monday. He is rumored to be signing a three-year contract worth about 1.25 million dollars a season. He will manage his last game as under-21 coach this Wednesday as Italy takes on Georgia. And one other thing - sources close to Lazio say Marcelo Salas is very close to joining his national team strike partner Ivan Zamorano, at Inter as well. The rumor mill has Inter giving Lazio 50 billion lira (about 25 million USD) plus half-ownership in Croatian international Dario Simic. Lippi Sacked Over The Internet! MILANO - (Rooters) Marcello Lippi was handed a blindfold, given a Cigarillo and marched into a pool of ravenous White Sharks today outside of San Siro. Prodding Signore Lippi down the planks and into the frothing water was the head of the Inter Internet fan club. Said the fan club president "Now Lippi sleeps with the fishes, as a matter of fact, he sleeps *inside* several fishes. I hope that we Nerazzurri fans will sleep (fishless) in a more comfortable manner now that the Lippian nightmare has ended." Prior to becoming soccer sushi, Lippi gave a brief interview in which he blamed international Freemasonry, Elvis Impersonators, and the Queen of England for most of his problems, while graciously allowing that he may have made a mistake or two along the line "although I forget when since it is so long since I have made an error." After this statement a hail of stones from irate listeners at the press conference threatened to knock Lippi into the pool before his appointed time. A heroic Massimo Moratti intervened, shielding Lippi with the bodies of Alvaro Recoba and Anselmo Robbiati, seldom used "trequartistas" who allegedly are on the Inter roster. The entire occasion was broadcast over the Internet using the official Inter website and three cameras. One of these cameras was dubbed "Sharkcam" - a nifty little unit taped to the head of a 15-foot Carcharadon Carcharias. Just before he disappeared inside the mouth of the animal, Lippi could be heard calling the fish "spoiled" and a "slacker." This did not appear to help his situation much, although Inter press officers are denying reports that the sharks in question threw up shortly after ingesting Mr. Lippi. Mr. Lippi is survived by a wife, two children, an accounting firm, and an ego the size of the Abruzzi. Paul Mettewie 6 OCTOBER 2000 Passarella Turns Down Inter Daniele Passarella is expected to announce in a press conference later today that he has declined to take up the offer to coach former club Inter Milan. Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli are being tipped to succeed Lippi in a joint coaching role. Barca Get River Plate Duo Barca have signed striker Javier Saviola and playmaker Pablo Aimar from River Plate. Saviola is expected to join in December with Aimar to follow in June 2001. 5 OCTOBER 2000 Passarella Favourite For Inter Job Former Inter great Daniel Passarella is favourite to replace Marcello Lippi as coach of Inter Milan. Passarella is currently coaching the Uruguayan national team. Inter President Massimo Amoretti is set to announce the new coach on Monday. In other Inter news Lazio striker Marcelo Salas could be on his way to the San Siro. Lazio have been trying to offload the Chilean for months. Dudek To Replace Seamen? Feyenoord goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, outstanding for the Dutch club during last season's Champions League competition, is rumoured to be a target for Arsenal who are looking to replace fat boy David Seamen in goal. Stuanton Released Liverpool have released 31 year old defender Steve Staunton. Middlesbrough would be an obvious destination. Petit Going Back To London? The Spanish press are speculating that Emmanuel Petit is a target for Chelsea. The midfielder has struggled at Barcelona while playing in an unfamiliar defensive role. Petit may be content to sit on the bench before the arrival of a new coach at the Nou Camp, which is almost a certainty given the clubs disastrous form in La Liga and the Champions League. Redondo Out For Six Months Fernando Redondo will miss six months of the season following knee surgery. The Argentinean has yet to play a competitive game for Milan. Boy Killed In Stadium A thirteen year old boy was killed last week in Goias' Stadium during the match between Goias and Sao Paulo. He was struck by concrete thrown by a 'fan'. The stadium has been shut down and police has arrested a suspect. Haldan Dead At 24 Romanian midfielder Catalin Haldan died after collapsing on the field during a friendly between his club Dinamo Bucharest and Oltenita. 3 OCTOBER 2000 Good News For Brazil! Carlos Alberto Parreira has ruled himself out of the job of national team coach.Parreira guied Brazil to their fourth World Cup triumph in 1994 and they played some of the most insipid football ever seen by a Brazil team. 1999 Serie A Player Awards Based on the votes of the Italian Footballers Association (AIC) Best Italian Player : Francesco Totti (Roma) Best Foreign Player : Andriy Shevchenko (Milan) Young Player of the Season : Roberto Baronio (Reggina) Best Coach : Sven Goran Eriksson (Lazio) Best Referee : Pierluigi Collina Player of the Century : Franco Baresi (Milan) Best Italian player should have went to Nesta (Lazio). Totti did bugger all in the last two months of the season. Best coach should have went to Claudio Prandelli who guided Verona to 9th place on limited resources and managed to play some of the best football in Serie A. It's hardly great coaching leading a team to a Championship after spending about £150 million on players. Injury Update Allesandro Pistone (DF, Everton) - out for 6 months with a broken leg Coaching Updates Antonio Lopes to Atlético-PR Fito Neves to Coritiba 2 OCTOBER 2000 Lippi Sacked! Marcello Lippi has been sacked as coach of Inter Milan. Vice President Peppino Prisco said "It was on the cards because of the lack of results and the team's lack of any system of play. And if you don't win and you don't give the team a system of play." Brazil Still Looking For Coach 'Big Phil' Luiz Felipe Scolari has turned down the chance to coach Brazil's national team. In the mean-time Luxemburgo's assistant will coach the team with Levir Culip (Sao Paulo), Emerson Leao (Sport) and Paulo Cesar Carpeggiani rumoured to be the CBF's next targets. Gil Does It Again Atletico Madrid president Jesus Gil has sacked his 23rd coach. Fernando Zambrano is the latest victim. The club lie 3rd bottom in La Liga B. Lippi Lets Rip Inter coach Marcello Lippi has blasted his team followed their embarrassing defeat against Reggina on the opening day of the season - "If I was president of the club I would dismiss the coach and line up the players against a wall and give them a kick up the backside. They played like spoilt children who think that they are great players and the victories will just arrive." 1 OCTOBER 2000 Luxemburgo Sacked The CBF have sacked Wanderley Luxemburgo. Big Phil Scolari is expected to be named Brazil coach on Monday. |